


5, 4, 3, 2, 1

by Pins_and_Patches



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda (Video Game 1986)
Genre: Angst, Corruption, Death, Gather round children it's time to suffer, Heavy Angst, Hyrule (Linked Universe)-centric, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Murder, Shooting, based on 5 4 3 2 1 by AURORA specifically the acoustic version- it's so good go listen to it, first youtube result is the music video with the acoustic version, it feels kinda cruel to put that one there given what happens in this but whatever, it's really sad, it's uh, no happy ending, slight mention of animal death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:26:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24955285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pins_and_Patches/pseuds/Pins_and_Patches
Summary: He holds my body in his arms, he didn't mean to do no harm, and he holds me tight...He did it all to spare me from the awful things in life that comes and he cries and cries...5, 4, 3, 2, 1...5, 4, 3, 2, 1...5, 4, 3, 2, 1...The gun is gone...And so am I...And here I go.
Relationships: Hyrule & Wild (Linked Universe), I guess? - Relationship
Comments: 20
Kudos: 61





	5, 4, 3, 2, 1

_5, 4, 3, 2, 1..._

_5, 4, 3, 2, 1..._

Wild holds the gun against Hyrule's head, trying to take steady breaths. 

It's impossible. Not when he has to do this.

Just one week ago, Hyrule was fine. Just his perfectly normal self.

Just a few days ago, he was infected with whatever was causing the monsters to be so powerful, and since then he'd been slowly losing control. 

Wild thinks back to the awful cut Hyrule gave Twilight after furiously attacking him unprompted.

The way he passed out after he was out of his rage and how Wild caught him before he hit the ground.

How much pain he was in when he woke up.

Wild tries to clear his head.  It's like putting down a sick animal so they won't have to suffer any longer, he thinks, but Hyrule's not an animal, he's Hyrule, he's a hero, he's Wild's friend, his _brother_. He may be infected but he's _not_ a monster, he's _not._

"Wild?" Hyrule whimpers.

"Yeah? What's up, Rulie?" Wild asks quickly.

"I... I'm scared. I'm not... I'm not ready, Wild."

Wild falters, his grip on the gun in his hand loosening.

"What about Dawn and Aurora? I didn't even get to say goodbye..."

"I know," Wild says with a shaky voice. "I'm so sorry."

He wishes he could offer some consolation, say this doesn't have to happen, or just let Hyrule see Dawn and Aurora one last time.

"Will you tell them for me? Tell them that... I'm... I'm sorry... And that I love them."

It takes every ounce of strength in Wild's body to not cry.

"Of course."

Despite the gun against his head, Hyrule suddenly shoots forward towards Wild and grabs him in a tight hug. 

Immediately Wild's hand tightens around the gun and he nearly pulls the trigger, worried Hyrule is going to attack again, maybe even reopen the scar he'd damaged last time, but when he realizes what Hyrule _is_ doing, he feels terrible. 

Even worse than before. 

Why is he thinking of Hyrule as a monster? Why is he scared he's going to get hurt? Hyrule is a sweet, wonderful person, and he's just scared and wants to say goodbye, _why_ did Wild almost shoot? 

Hyrule's shallow breaths break off into panicked sobs as he holds Wild tighter, and despite how much it does hurt to have someone as bony as Hyrule hug him, he doesn't dare complain. 

If only he hadn't all those other times Hyrule had hugged him. 

If only he'd appreciated Hyrule before as much as he does now.

Finally Hyrule lets go, and he seems to be silently accepting his death. 

No more panicked sobbing. In fact, he's trying to stop crying altogether, it would seem. 

He has nothing else to say. 

He just looks up at Wild sadly as he takes slow breaths, his messy brown hair falling into his tan, freckled face as tears continue to fall. 

Tears that are growing darker and more red by the second. 

Falling from orange eyes. 

Hyrule cries out suddenly, collapsing onto the ground. 

His shoulders shake abruptly as he sobs in pain, and he's heaving like he's going to throw up. He digs his dirty nails into his green tunic. 

Wild wants nothing more than to comfort him. 

Twilight quickly realizes what's happening, and he comes behind Hyrule, holding his skinny body still tightly. 

Hyrule whines, and Twilight's expression softens. 

"T- Twi... It hurts... You're... You're hurting me..." 

"I know, Hyrule. I know. I'm sorry. It'll all be over soon."

Hyrule looks at Wild, as if pleading for him to just get it over with. His eyes are no longer a soft hazel- that color has faded into a burning orange- but they're still Hyrule's eyes, and he can see the pain in them still. 

So once again, Wild holds the gun against Hyrule's head. 

And he begins to count.

"Five..."

The tension in Hyrule's body eases as the episode passes, and Twilight runs off to the others. He doesn't want to be _there_ when Hyrule is killed. 

None of them do.

"Four..."

It's a beautiful day out, Hyrule thinks. The sun isn't out, it's gently raining, but it's not too cold. It's the perfect kind of day to die, the same kind of day he loved when he was alive. He loved going exploring and doing whatever came his way on these days. 

In the clouds he swears he sees the figure of a girl. Is it Aurora? Dawn? Someone else entirely? _Hylia,_ even? 

"Three..."

He has about three seconds left to live, and he takes in everything about his surroundings. The forest around them, which is unnaturally quiet, as though the earth knows what's about to happen as well. The extinguished campfire where they'd sat the previous night, telling stories and joking, completely unaware that Hyrule would have to die the next day. The other seven Links, only Sky and Legend watching Hyrule's final moments, unable to look away. Knowing them, it's probably because they're scared to miss his last seconds alive. 

He can't blame the others for looking away, either- if it meant he had to see someone he loved dearly die like this, or anyone at all, he couldn't bring himself to watch either. 

"I love you guys," Hyrule says weakly. "So much. Thank you... for everything." 

Wild struggles to choke back a sob. He has to stay strong. For Rulie. 

"T- Two..."

" _No-!_ " Sky cries out suddenly, leaping towards Wild and Hyrule. He's cut off by Legend grabbing him just like Twilight to Hyrule, burying his tear-soaked face in Sky's sailcloth. 

"One!"

_ Bang. _

Only Sky sees it happen.

Wild drops the gun and grabs Hyrule's limp body as if to save him from falling against the hard ground. 

As if it would make a difference. 

As if it would do more damage to him than the bullet hole Wild put through his forehead already has. 

No one looks back at them.

Sky doesn't look away.

It's already happened.

And the agonized scream that comes from the Champion holding the young adventurer's small, lifeless body in his arms only confirms it. 

Hyrule is gone.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sorry (Edit: bonus points to whoever can figure out the girl Hyrule saw in the sky)


End file.
